Top 5 things to do this weekend

The year is still young and we’ve got lots (and lots) of eating to do. This weekend is no exception with an inspiring chef showdown, a noodly street food fest, a grilled cheese pop up, a family fun day at Ko Olina and Spam Jam Waikiki!

Oodles of noodles take center stage at the state’s largest food truck festival. Dozens of your favorite trucks and vendors, including Aloha Pops, Bao Taon, Country Shave Ice, Five-O Ribs, Hawaiian Twisted Tater, Mochi Lab 808, Shaka Shrimp and more, will be whipping up renditions of noodle dishes from around the world for this new theme for Eat the Street.

E.A.R.L. Sandwich. Yes. Grilled cheese. Yes. The Safehouse. Wait, what? E.A.R.L. Sandwich pops up at The Safehouse this Friday with a divine and exclusive menu of ooey-gooey grilled cheese sandwiches that you’ll be able to pair, dip and indulge with homemade spicy pickles and the perfect cup of hot tomato soup. Mmm. The perfect Friday night for me.

Ko Olina’s beachfront locale provides a stunning backdrop for the 3rd Annual Children’s Film & Music Festival, a benefit for the Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children. There’ll be a lineup of family-friendly movies from Disney, Pixar and the Hawaii International Film Festival among live performances and other family fun activities, including a feature film on the beach at sunset.

For the 14th year in a row, the absolutely bonkers Waikiki Spam Jam fest takes over Kalakaua Avenue in a massive celebration of our state’s canned meat of choice. With 30+ unique Spam-tastic dishes from 16 restaurants, this huge event benefits three local nonprofits including Hawaii Foodbank, Waikiki Community Center and Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii.

About Thomas Obungen

Thomas Obungen has been writing his way through life for the past decade after finding his pun-tastic voice as the Gastronomist at HPU’s student paper, the Kalamalama, and discovering his true calling as a social media maestro in Yelp’s community marketing department. After living the fast-paced lifestyle in Los Angeles, he moved back home with a greater appreciation for our island home. Rediscover Hawaii with him as he uncovers hidden gems and other remarkable spots around town.